Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I want to follow up on particulars from the exchange earlier about relations with Mr. David McCourt. Deputy Dooley asked a question, which potentially presented new information about this controversy, regarding a lunch in Leinster House on 18 April. The Minister replied that he did not have lunch with Mr. McCourt on that day.

Were there plans to meet with Mr. McCourt on or around that day? Were there plans for the Minister to have lunch with Mr. McCourt around that day? Is there a diary entry referring to a lunch or a meeting with Mr. McCourt in Leinster House on or around that day? Can the Minister provide any other information on that?

I have a more general question, as the Minister made a more general statement defending his right to meet with those involved in telecommunications, they being a small number of people and so on. Does the Minister accept the basic proposition that from the point of view of doing things correctly and being seen to do things correctly, it is incorrect to meet bidders during a bidding process?

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